Iowa right-hander Connor Noland came off the injured list. Iowa Right-hander Yacksel Ríos went on the temporarily inactive list.
Knoxville first baseman Edgar Alvarez came off the restricted list.
Right-hander Luis Rujano was sent to the rookie ball ACL Cubs from Double-A Knoxville.
Iowa Cubs
The Iowa Cubs got blasted by Indianapolis (Pirates), 14-5.
Connor Noland came off the injured list and pitched the first four innings. He allowed two runs, one earned, on three hits. Noland struck out six and walked one.
Zac Leigh relieved Noland to start the fifth inning and only managed to retire one batter. Leigh took the loss after giving up five runs on one hit and four walks over one-third of an inning. The one hit was a three-run home run. Leigh did not have a strikeout.
Gavin Hollowell is making a case for a major-league call up with another perfect inning in the seventh, striking out two. Hollowell has a 1.23 ERA and hasn’t given up an earned run since May 7.
DH Chas McCormick went 2 for 5 with two RBI.
Left fielder Ben Cowles was 2 for 5 and scored once.
RBI single for McCormick.
Knoxville Smokies
The Knoxville Smokies swept a doubleheader from the Chattanooga Lookouts (Reds), 7-5 and 7-5.
Starter Jake Knapp pitched 2.2 innings and gave up one run on three hits. He walked one and struck out two.
Dawson Netz pitched the final 3.1 innings and got the win, giving up only one run on a solo home run. He allowed two hits total. Netz struck out two and walked one.
DH Ethan Hearn clubbed a solo home run in the second inning, his third on the year. Hearn went 1 for 4.
In the third inning, catcher Owen Ayers cracked a two-run home run, his seventh. Ayers was also 1 for 4.
First baseman Edgar Alvarez hit a two-run home run in the sixth inning, his fifth home run this year. Alvaraez went 1 for 3.
Finally, third baseman Jefferson Rojas hit his sixth home run with the bases empty in the seventh. Rojas went 1 for 4.
Second baseman Alex Madera was 2 for 3 with an RBI double in the third. He scored on Ayers’ home run.
Shortstop Hayden Cantrelle was 2 for 3 and scored one run.
Tyler Schlaffer started game two and allowed just one run on two hits. Schlaffer walked three and struck out six.
The Smokies went into the bottom of the seventh with a 7-1 lead, but Jackson Kirkpatrick had trouble getting anyone out. He gave up four runs on two hits and three walks over just a third of an inning. So Marino Santy was summoned from the pen with one out, two on and the tying run at the plate. He walked the first batter he faced to load the bases and then a run came home on a ground out by former Smokie Pablo Aliendo. Then Santy got a strikeout to end the game and collect the save.
Left fielder Carter Trice hit a solo home run in the second inning, his eighth on the year. Trice went 1 for 3 with the home run and a sacrifice fly for two total RBI.
Right fielder Alex Ramírez connected with the bases empty in the fifth, his fourth on the year. Ramírez went 2 for 4 with a double and the home run. He scored twice.
Center fielder Andy Garriola was 3 for 4 with a double. He scored one run and drove in one.
Shortstop Hayden Cantrelle was 2 for 3.
South Bend Cubs
The South Bend Cubs cracked open the Ft. Wayne TinCaps (Padres), 7-0.
Koen Moreno got the start and went four innings. He allowed just two hits. Moreno walked four and struck out four.
Eli Jerzembeck pitched the next two innings and got the win because Moreno didn’t pitch five innings. Jerzembeck gave up no hits, but he walked two and struck out two.
Mason McGwire made his High-A debut in this game and was impressive in collecting a three-inning save. He allowed just one baserunner, a two-out single in the seventh. McGwire struck out six.
For the second-straight game, first baseman Drew Bowser hit a grand slam. This one came in the sixth inning. It was Bowser’s third overall home run this year. Bowser went 1 for 4.
Third baseman Matt Halbach was 1 for 1 with two walks and a hit by pitch. Halbach scored twice and his single in the third drove in a run.
Center fielder Josiah Hartshorn was 1 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.
Here’s an RBI double by Jose Escobar and an RBI single by Justin Stransky. Escobar was 1 for 4 and Stransky went 1 for 3 with a walk.
Bowser’s grand slam.
Myrtle Beach Pelicans
The Myrtle Beach Pelicans grounded the Wilson Warbirds (Brewers), 7-5.
Noah Edders started and gave up four runs on five hits over 3.1 innings. Edders walked two, hit one batter and struck out three.
Riely Hunsaker allowed the game to stay close, giving up just one run on three hits over 4.1 innings. Hunsaker walked two and struck out three. He also hit a batter.
Braylon Myers threw the final 1.1 innings, allowed no runs and got the win after the Pelicans took the lead with three runs in the bottom of the eighth. Myers gave up just one hit. He struck out one and walked no one.
Left fielder Geuri Lubo hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the eighth to give the Pelicans the lead for the first time. It was Lubo’s second home run of the year. Lubo went 2 for 4 with a double and the home run.
Third baseman Yahil Melendez clubbed a two-run home run in the fifth to tie the game up 4-4. It was Melendez’s first home run of the year. Melendez finished 1 for 4.
Center fielder Alexey Lumpuy went 2 for 4 with two steals. He scored on a wild pitch in the third inning.
The Melendez home run.
ACL Cubs